Inside theAETHERstream

Yesterday, we got a chance to stop by Aether's kitted-out rolling concept shop in Los Angeles. When founders Palmer West and Jonah Smith decided to do a pop-up shop, they wanted something a little different—instead of renting out a bare space for a short period of time, they bought their dream RV, a 34-foot PanAmerica Airstream. The guys told me that they wanted to be able to bring their product directly to their customers, whether that's at the base of a Colorado mountain, at the beach in Malibu or in New York City. The two walked me through the AetherStream, which they've radically redesigned with the help of Philipe Stark alum Thierry Gaugain. Ideal for the modern and rugged wayfarer, the RV boasts reclaimed oak floors, custom tables and a built-in sofa from LA's Environment Furniture. There's vintage camping supplies, single malt scotch and even a fireplace. Basically, it's every man's fantasy clubhouse on wheels. And on top of all that, they've got their entire range of gear on hand to buy. From their signature insulated outerwear and sweatshirts to accessories like bags and scarves. One of the items we couldn't take our eyes off was a grey field jacket. New for fall, it's cut from a lightweight but densely woven cotton that Palmer explained was originally developed for British pilots during WWII. It feels like regular cotton but it's more insulting and completely water resistant. Which basically sums up Aether's point of view—technical performance, cleverly concealed by sharp aesthetics.

The AetherStream is at 8207 3rd Street in Los Angeles through October, when it will relocate to New York for November and December.